This invention relates to a penile prosthesis, and, more particularly, to an improved malleable penile prosthesis for the treatment of erectile impotence.
There are many causes of male impotence including those that are psychologically based as well as trauma related impotence. Procedures have been developed for treating impotence, and one such procedure involves the implantation of a penile prosthesis. There are two general types of penile implants, namely, the inflatable penile implant and the noninflatable penile implant. The noninflatable implants include those which incorporate a rigid rod and are permanently stiff and those formed of malleable or bendable materials and which may be bent between the erect and nonerect positions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,456 discloses a rigid rod type of penile prosthesis. Examples of malleable implants are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,789 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,841. One of the problems involved in malleable penile implants which are bent between the erect and nonerect positions is the danger of stress or weakening of the malleable element when bent beyond a predetermined radius. It will be appreciated that when the malleable element is bent so that its radius of bend is quite small, then stress or weakness is developed at a concentrated zone. Repeated bending will occur at the weakened point which ultimately may result in failure. Also, concentration of the bend in a short length may result in an uncosmetic, kinked appearance.
Certain noninflatable prostheses have been developed which permit bending in one direction only, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,805 and the German patent to Max Bernhard Ulrich, filed Sept. 7, 1977, German Pat. No. 27 40 263. However, there are no prior art devices which limit the bending in all directions but which permit ready manipulation of the implant between the erect and the nonerect positions.